Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½™ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts.
Author's Notes: okay, just so that things don't get too confusing; the five Ranmas will be referred to by their "nicknames" by me and also by others who know about there being five of them and in a scenario where there is more than one Ranma present or a person wants to refer to a different Ranma than the one present. Otherwise, the Ranmas will be called Ranma.
Part 29: Blight's Wedding Day
"Explain to me again how that works?"
"Forget it! If you didn't get it after the first three times then there's no way I can explain it to you." Storm said, gesturing in resignation at the scowling Prince Herb. It was three days after Cinder's rogue experiment had run amuck in Storm's Nerima, and things were still in a frenetic buzz. For a start, Mousse had actually fallen in love with Nabiki, and despite the fact the potion had worn off Nabiki hadn't started hating him and was actually considering going out with him.
Of course, her horrified father had forbidden the two to even see each other, but unfortunately for him both of them had keenly developed minds, which they were now using to outmanoeuvre him, in Nabiki's case as much out of spite and the urge to prove herself out of his control as actual romantic interest in Mousse. Storm had to wonder just how that would play out, and a part of him wondered if it might not be too bad an idea to stick around and watch it.
Cinder had finally managed to get back into Storm's good books, after several days of grovelling –as much as the fiery tempered Sorcerer could grovel anyway- and was working on redeeming himself by devising an alarm mechanism for Storm's Altar; he didn't mind it when his other selves dropped in, but Storm refused to have to be the host to their screw-ups. Of course, nothing could ever be simple in Storm's life. Kasumi and Herb had returned from one of their dates and run into Grit, who'd come to speak with Storm about a matter of sculpture. Then he'd run off and left Storm to explain to the Musk Dynasty's prince why there had been two Ranmas. It hadn't gone too well.
"But let's stop talking about me and talk about something infinitely more interesting, hmm?" said Storm, a pleasant grin on his face, which prompted narrowed eyes from Herb.
"And what, pray tell, would that be?"
"Why, your relationship with the delightful Miss Kasumi!" Storm grinned, experiencing a surge of cruel glee in the shocked expression on Herb's face.
"W-what about it!" Herb stammered, Storm unable to stop himself from taking a twinge of sadistic glee at the faint hint of fear that tinted Herb's voice; evidentially he feared Storm would try to separate him from Kasumi.
"Relax, I don't intend to try and split the two of you up or anything, I'm simply interested in how the courtship is proceeding."
"Well… I don't really know. I've taken her on a few dates, and she seems to have enjoyed herself, but she still doesn't seem to think of me as anything more than a friend." Herb replied, looking (and sounding) somewhat depressed. Storm rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Here's a left-field idea; have you actually told Kasumi you've been taking her out on dates?"
Herb simply stared at Storm in reply. Storm responded by lazily sliding his eyes shut to slits, rolling his head on his neck and stretching backwards with his arms until the joints audibly popped.
"Suit yourself. I just thought I should point out that Kasumi, when it comes to matters of the heart, is very naïve. It's extremely doubtful that she'll recognize your intentions for anything other than mere friendliness. If you don't want to actually get anywhere with the relationship, that's your business. Me; I got other things to worry about."
"Such as?"
"Such as getting a formal outfit ready and preparing a suitably ceremonial meal, that's what. I've got a wedding to attend."
If there was anything that proved Storm had been absent from the daily madness of Nerima for too long, it was that final sentence. For Storm had forgotten one of the most important laws of Nerima, the law that even his new powers couldn't protect him from. Never Mention The "W" Word. The syllables had barely passed his lips when anarchy broke out; Ryoga, Soun, Genma, Kuno and his fiancées all appearing out of nowhere to, as one, begin shouting questions, arguments, statements, encouragements and generally making a noisy nuisance of themselves until the din grew so fierce that Storm had to cover his ears and Herb slunk away.
Storm tolerated this for all of two to four seconds, whereupon he drowned out their voices with a Thunderclap spell. He waited for them to regain their hearing, judging this to have occurred by the fact they stopped holding their ears and shaking their heads to instead glare at him, before speaking.
"Okay, so what's got your brains in a knot? It's not my wedding I'm talking about."
"It isn't?" asked Soun and Genma, visibly and audibly disappointed. Storm snorted at them.
"No, it isn't. Two of my friends from when I was studying Elementalism at Castle de'Cuckoo are getting married today, and I just received an invitation. So I have to get ready, and quickly- I don't have time for you lot."
Storm started moving purposely towards his Altar, but slowed down and stopped bare inches from it, seemingly halted by the hurt expressions and "puppy-dog eyes" his fiancées were directing at him without even seeing them. He reached out and gently stroked the sculpted ice of his Altar for a second, apparently deep in thought, before sighing and turning to face his three fiancées.
"Would you three like to come with me? After all, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event."
Three identical smiles of joy broke out across three faces, and Storm couldn't help a strange twinge of… 'warmth'… that suddenly flushed through his body for an instant. A faint smile on his face, he gently beckoned the three of them to come forward before suddenly turning a literally freezing glare on Ryoga, Kuno, Genma and Soun. Pointedly ignoring the four giant icecubes now standing on the lawn, he reached into a subspace pocket and withdrew three sakas and hirus, which he then flung to the girls. They caught them from mid-air and looked at them with mutual expressions of puzzlement.
"We don't have time for you to find or purchase anything that would be suitable here, especially considering the temporal differences between here and Otherworld, so I'll have to loan you some clothing from Dalara Peaks for the ceremony. And in case you've forgotten, Empyrea is a lot colder than here, so you'll need to wear those while we go to Dalara Peaks and get ready for the ceremony. And you four will stay here and not make a nuisance of yourselves."
This last sentence was directed at the frozen males, who couldn't have answered even if they wanted to, though the expressions on their faces visible through the ice answered them quite clearly. Paying them no attention, Storm's fiancées pulled on the warm clothing that Storm had given them –they remembered the bitter cold of the place Storm considered his true home only too well- and followed him through the portal, emerging into the middle of a torrential downpour. They quickly and eagerly followed Storm down the stone path –which they hadn't noticed the last time due to the thick fog- and tried to memorise the way.
"So when is this wedding we're going to anyway?" asked Akane, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the silence.
"About three hours. I have my clothing ready, I simply need to prepare a proper meal while I oversee getting the three of you something suitably formal to wear."
"What do you need to prepare a meal for?" asked Shampoo out of curiosity. After all, if the spirits favoured her she would experience this scenario with Ranma from the other side someday. Hopefully someday soon. She couldn't help but wonder sometimes about her "other selves", the versions of her who inhabited the parallel worlds from which came Blight, Cinder, Grit and Sooth. She especially wondered about the version of her from Blight's world- she'd been told that that version had managed to get herself truly engaged to Ranma, at the cost of having to share him with Nabiki. Her curiosity about how that situation had come to pass was driving her crazy.
"It's traditional; all the invited guest are expected to provide a personal dish of their own design. For one thing it cuts down on the food bill. Sort of like a potluck. Also expected is a gift; it can be ornamental or practical, so long as it isn't some cheap second-hand piece of junk. Again, I've already taken care of that."
Having said his piece, Storm fell silent again. Nothing more was said until the four reached Sliverspine Village, whereupon Storm started heading towards his home, only to be cut off as a small barking thing suddenly leapt from out of nowhere and tackled him. Shampoo, Ukyo and even Akane instinctively advanced upon whatever it was that had attacked him, but stopped and blinked as they realised the thing was neither a threat nor attacking.
It was hard to make out exactly what it was, due to the way it constantly writhed and threshed, but as far as they could tell it was a… well… a chibi version of a Frostwolf, with a ridiculously large tail and even a tiny dagger, clenched in its fuzzy fist. As it playfully grappled with Storm, it kept up a constant barrage of barks, yips, growls and other canine noises. Kind of like a little kid greeting a dearly admired friend or a long-absent family member. The girls couldn't help but blink in confusion as they realised Storm was making the same sort of sounds, almost as though he were talking to it. As they blinked at the sheer absurdity of that thought, another figure suddenly came limping, rather quickly, from between the huts, voicing a loud, angry bark.
Instantly the creature in Storm's arms stopped squirming and started whining, its ears flattening against its skull. The figure, revealed to be a female Frostwolf with a clearly injured leg and using a thickly-shafted spear as a walking stick, limped straight up to Storm, her eyes fixated on the creature he was holding –evidentially a baby Frostwolf- and a rumbling growl echoing from her throat. The infant lowered its head, still whining, and Storm calmly stretched out his hands and offered it back to the female, apparently its mother, who took it back by grasping the scruff of its neck. She growled at the child and then turned back to Storm.
"I apologize lorrrd Rrranma, I don't know how she got away from me again." Akane, Shampoo and Ukyo all blinked at the sound of the Frostwolf accent, which they were unfamiliar with. Storm simply smiled gently as he replied.
"It's alright Daggertongue. I think she'll really be good when she grows old enough to hunt. As a matter of fact, I was just looking for you."
"Oh? What forrr?" she growled, looking askance at Storm, who in return gestured towards the bewildered trio of fiancées.
"I have to attend Chano and Syra's wedding shortly, and these three wish to escort me there. Unfortunately, they have nothing appropriate, and I'm the first to admit I know nothing about feminine fashion. So, if you could see to obtaining some suitable garbs for them…"
"Say no morrre my lorrrd, it will be done. You thrrree, come with me." Storm nodded his head in satisfaction as he headed towards his home, while the three fiancées –somewhat hesitantly, it must be said- followed the limping Frostwolf and her daughter.
"Well? What do you think? Is it to yourrr liking?"
"It's… it's beautiful." Akane whispered, too distracted by the sight of herself in the mirror to truly focus on Daggertongue. The clothes recalled –to her mind at least- a ballerina's outfit; a tight, form-fitting leotard of an incredibly fine, extremely soft and unbelievably warm material, the bluish-black of the night sky in colour and studded with thousands of tiny sequin-like glinting object, invoking the stars of the clearest night.
"I'll say sugar, you really have an eye for materials Mrs. Daggertongue." Said Ukyo, "gently" nudging Akane out of the way so she could get a better look at her own clothes; a bodysuit of purest white, with numerous fluttering "scarfs" draping from her limbs and forming a collar around her neck. With every move she made these scraps of fabric moved and swayed on the breeze.
"Thank you forrr the compliment. And don't call me Mrrrs. Daggertongue; you'll make me feel old." The Frostwolf chuckled. Shampoo looked up at her from where she was admiring her own clothing; in style it was far less ornate than those worn by Akane and Ukyo, but made from a brilliant silvery fur and looked to be their equal if not their superior in quality and extravagance.
"I'm grateful for the clothes too, but tell me; where did you find such beautiful clothing? And how did you manage to get it to fit us so perfectly?"
"The clothing was no trrrouble to obtain; Lorrrd Rrranma does contrrrol all of Dalarrra Peaks, so he can obtain rrraw materrrials and finished clothing frrrom anywherrre he desirrres. As forrr the fitting… that was no prrroblem eitherrr; we have skilled weaverrrrs and furrrierrrs in Dalarrra, and we have hearrrd much about all of you from Lorrrd Rrranma as well, which only made it easierrr."
The girls blinked at the final part of that last sentence, then decided they really didn't want to ask. Besides which, they were sure it was time for them to head to the wedding- they had no method of keeping track of time themselves. They left Daggertongue's hut, marvelling at how warm their new clothes were, and headed towards Storm's hut. They were in such a rush they forget their sakas and hirus, but luckily for them the rain had –against all odds- stopped.
"Ranma, are you ready to go or-" Akane's voice trailed off and she joined the other fiancées in staring gobsmacked at Storm's new clothes, Storm himself flushing softly with embarrassment at having been surprised by them. In style they resembled Storm's normal apparel, but the designs upon them and the material from which they were composed were as far from normal as it was possible to get. They literally shimmered and emitted their own faint glow, less being worn and more caressing Storm's body as he did a singular twirl for his –very appreciative- audience.
"I normally wouldn't wear something this… decadent… but a wedding is an occasion on which you're supposed to show off, yes? My own design this is, spun by my hands from ice crystals and mist vapours and static electricity. You like it?"
His audience's speechlessness convinced him that they did like it. With a grin he hefted a small iron cauldron in one hand and lifted… something that was gift-wrapped… onto his shoulder with the other before starting towards the door. Still mute, the girls moved aside to let him through and then followed him along a path, until they reached a spot they remembered all too well from the last time they were in Otherworld.
"Oh no! Not this time! I refuse to submit myself to that nightmare again!" Akane shouted, Ukyo and even Shampoo nodding their agreement. Storm heaved an exaggerated sigh of exasperation and turned to face them.
"Look, do you really want to spend several hours walking there, risking your life only to end up missing the wedding altogether? If you could fly by yourselves I wouldn't need to whistle up a whirlwind, but you can't so I do. Unless you don't want to come, in which case just say so and I'll fly myself there. I can't afford to miss this wedding; these are good friends of mine and, besides which, I need their political goodwill. I can't afford to risk aggravating them by missing something like this."
He waited for the three girls to shake their heads in unison. "Thought so." He growled and turned back towards the void beyond the peak of rock upon which the four of them stood, pursing his lips to whistle the special notes that would summon their means of transportation. The musical notes the girls had learned to dread after only a single exposure lingered in the air for second before being chased away by the roaring of winds as a spinning vortex bore down upon them all.
It would be hard for them to say, when they were later asked about it, precisely what detail about the wedding of Chano and Syra remained most firmly lodged in their memories. Was it, perhaps, the ice sculptures; ornate and otherworldy beauty wrought in cold, transparent medium? Was it the eerie, haunting melodies played in accompaniment? Was it the ornate and delicate accessories worn by bride, groom and guests, each individual attempting to out-splendour the others without seeming too garish or tacky? Whatever it was, they all would agree that the ceremony was beautiful, from the moment the music began and the happy couple-to-be entered to when the newly-weds finally sealed their marriage with a kiss. Now that the actual ceremony was over the crowd was mingling, Akane, Shampoo and Ukyo happily indulging themselves in the extremely odd –but tasty- array of foodstuffs available while Storm chatted to Chano and Syra.
"So when is it due anyway?" asked Storm in a soft tone, proving confused looks from his fiancées and expressions of mild shock and panic from the newly-weds.
"How did you know we were… expecting?" Syra whispered, at which Storm chuckles and the fiancées looked up.
"I have a keen eye for small details, you should know that by now, and to the careful observer you're practically screaming your pregnancy aloud." It was at that moment when a series of startled screams suddenly began issuing from behind them. Storm's expression grew a notch colder.
"That is not funny. What's going on?"
He turned towards the screams, the fiancées –somewhat reluctantly it has to be said- abandoning their meals to join him as the other startled guests started trampling over each other in their eagerness to retreat from a towering, robe-shrouded figure, from which emanated the faintest scent of rotting flesh. Storm inhaled sharply with a just-barely audible hiss.
"A Dark Herald. One of the most powerful creatures bound to Charnel. But what the hell would it be doing so far from Stygia?"
Storm's question was quickly answered; the creature instantly turned towards him and strode purposely across the floor to meet him. Everyone else, including his fiancées and the newly-weds, backed away as the towering monster stopped bare inches away from Storm- if not for the fact it was nearly twice as tall as him, they would have been nose to nose. The creature tilted its hood-hidden head downwards, so that it was apparently meeting Storm's emotionless gaze before speaking in a dry, hissing wheeze.
"You… are Ranma Sssaotome, Ssstormlord… of Dalara Peaksss, are you not?"
"I am."
"I bring a message… from Ranma Sssaotome, Arch-Heretic of the Bleak Marssshesss. He sssendsss you an… invitation."
"Oh yeah? An invitation to what?"
"He… invitesss you to… attend his wedding day. If you wisssh to attend that isss…"
The Dark Herald reached into the musty depths of its robe and pulled out a stained, aged scroll, which it then handed over to Storm. The fiancées crept close and looked over his shoulder as he opened it, confirming that it was indeed a wedding invitation from Blight. As Storm blinked in confusion –why would Blight invite him to his wedding?- the Dark Herald heaved a wheezing sigh and turned to go.
"I'll tell him you were uninteresssted…"
"Wait a second there, who said I was uninterested? I was just confused why he'd invite me is all."
"He invited all of you… it'sss jussst that not one of you hasss accepted the invitation. I couldn't even find Sssooth to give him hisss invitation."
Storm nodded in understanding before returning his attention to the scroll he still clutched for several seconds. Finally, he nodded and looked the Dark Herald straight in the "eye".
"I accept the invitation. It's simply courtesy after all. When is the wedding to be held?"
"Now…."
Before anyone could react, the Dark Herald flung its arms out above its head, making its cloak swirl dramatically as the light and sound vanished, leaving in their place a dark void filled with only the sound of roaring winds and the sensation of tumbling endless head over foot. Then the sensation faded and the light returned- to a degree. Shaking their heads to clear the distortion caused by teleportation, Storm and his fiancées found themselves standing in a dark and dilapidated room. Storm glared at the Dark Herald.
"A warning wouldn't have killed you ya know."
"Forgive my servant. He always has been a little… impulsive."
Storm and his fiancées swivelled around to see Blight, though any immediate statements they may have had prepared died before birth at the sight of his clothing; a weirdly ceremonial uniform of bloody red and deepest black. Blight grinned at them, slits in the flesh of his lips revealing a disturbing amount of fangs as he gestured at his clothing with his right hand, drawing attention to both his garb and the blade-like projections of bone jutting from the tips of his fingers.
"You like it? I commissioned it especially for this day. But anyway, I am truly grateful that you chose to attend."
"It was the least I could do. After all, we are the closest things we have to a real family. A pity the others fail to recognize that fact."
Blight's habitual smirk spread across his face, but then it changed somewhat, warping and twisting into something resembling an actual smile rather than his normal twisted leers. It remained in place for less than a heartbeat, then vanished so quickly that those who had witnessed it could only wonder if they had even seen it in the first place.
"I never figured you for the sentimental type Storm. Come with me then, and bring your lady-friends with you."
"Err…"
"You needn't worry about feeding them; I ensured the chefs prepared some food that was edible by normal standards as well as Necromancer standards." The look of relief on Storm's face was almost comical in its intensity. Blight chuckled –or perhaps cackled softly might be a better term- and headed off into the dark depths of the house as Storm's fiancées stared at him in confusion.
"What was that about?"
"Trust me, you're better off not knowing." Said Storm with a shudder as he followed in Blight's footsteps, the girls trailing behind.
It says a lot for the mental state of the Nerima Wrecking Crew that, once Storm had returned from Otherworld and they accepted his new nature as an Elementalist, they had completely stopped caring about it, simply treating it as part of life. Certainly they had never wondered precisely what might have happened if Storm had chosen to follow a different path of magic. The events of Blight's wedding, however, were forcing Storm's fiancées to follow that train of thought.
Whereas the Elementalist wedding they'd seen before had been enchanting, if a little eerie in places, the Necromancer wedding was completely horrific to them. Surrounded by deepest darkness, with the very barest of light coming from greasy, slimy-looking candles of jet-black and blood-red –rendered from human fat according to Storm- they sat surrounded by vaguely seen horrific figures, chanting at a pitch so low it was just barely within the detectible range for humans as the groom and brides ritually carved symbols into each other's chests, symbolizing the establishment of bonds of mutual slavery. And then it was time to eat.
They were extremely glad they'd eaten a little at Chano and Syra's wedding; the food available here at Blight's wedding was stuff from a nightmare. There were bowls writhing with live insects, trays were grotesquely mutated rats threshed and squealed in agony from the brutally barbed skewers thrust into their spines, platters piled high with gore-dripping internal organs and far, far worse lay across the table. Everywhere there was blood and rot and pus and putrescence, a feast of foulness and the macabre. Needless to say, Storm and his fiancées quickly lost their appetites, choosing instead to stay in a dark corner to try and avoid being caught up in the Machiavellian political machinations that inevitably began weaving themselves into existence when several Necromancers gathered.
Finally, the other Necromancers departed. Storm and his fiancées would have easily joined them, had it not been for an extremely odd from Blight.
"Let me get this straight: you want me to be your halat dan?" Storm asked incredulously, pointing at himself as Blight and his wives flushed, stared at their feet and nodded. Ukyo spoke up in an attempt to fill the resultant uncomfortable silence.
"What's a halat dan?"
"The term roughly translates as 'door guardian' or 'soul brother'; to be asked for the role indicates great trust is held in you. Basically, it's a symbolic thing that's been passed down; traditionally, the halat dan's role is to defend the newly-weds on their wedding night."
"Defend them from what, exactly?"
"Any threat in general really, though primarily from rival Necromancers. The position hasn't really been anything more than virtually-forgotten ceremony for generations."
Storm trailed off into silence and looked thoughtful, rubbing his chin for several seconds before nodding.
"Fine. I'll do it. I guess it's the least I can do."
"Thank you." Echoed with perfect synchronicity from three throats, identical wicked grins slithering onto their faces as Blight picked up his new brides and carried them away down the dark corridors, leaving Storm's fiancées staring after them with a little confusion and more than a hint of jealousy.
"So what do we do now Ran-chan?" asked Ukyo, her use of the long-absent (relatively speaking) affectionate nickname she had coined for Storm not going unnoticed by the other fiancées. Storm turned to her as he answered.
"There'll be a guest room or two somewhere in this place. We just have to find it."
Five minutes later, they had found three torture chambers, two pits of unfathomable horrors, five treasuries, sixteen death traps, four gardens of evil and one zombie petting zoo. Storm stumbled into the newest chamber, trying desperately to wrench the shrieking zombie monkey that had latched onto his head from its perch whilst Akane, Shampoo and Ukyo put a valiant fight as the rear flank, trying to keep the shambling, brain-crazed horrors back until they finally managed to slam the heavy, iron-reinforced oaken door on them as Storm succeeded in pulling the zombie monkey from his head and dashing its brains out against the wall. Breathing heavily, he looked around the room; evidentially some sort of parlour. He slumped into an armchair and his fiancées, once they were certain that the creatures outside wouldn't break in, followed him.
They sat there in silence for several minutes, the only sounds to be heard their mutual breaths and the faint pounding and moaning of the zombies outside, which eventually died away. And then the stillness was broken by a faint glow of bluish-black light, accompanied by a whispered voice that was all too familiar, emanating from a crystal orb on a table. Storm, somewhat clumsily due to the blood and cerebral fluid coating his fingers, fumbled for the orb, bringing it up to his face as he tried to recall how to activate it. He needn't have bothered, as the orb itself suddenly sprung to life, revealing the face of Sooth within its depths.
"Blight, I know this is going to be hilarious for you, but… wait a second, Storm? How the heck did I get you!"
"I happen to be staying in Blight's mansion for the night; as his halat dan no less. And where were you when your brother in all but fate was getting married?"
Sooth's expression in the orb was one of utter shock and confusion.
"You mean he got married? Today? Wow, I have been outta the loop. Anyway, can you take me to him? I need to speak to him."
"Now is… probably not a good time…"
"I don't care! It's a matter of life or death! I need to speak to him NOW!"
If it wasn't for the fact Storm was used to loud noises, an occupational hazard of dealing with thunderstorms, he probably would have been deafened and still had to resist the urge to wriggle a finger inside his ear. He gingerly stood up and headed towards the door.
"Okay, okay, I'll take you to him. But I really think you should have waited."
His fiancées, not being stupid –despite how they might have acted on occasion- remained behind as Storm desperately retraced his steps until he found a room he ascertained to be Blight's bedchamber, primarily thanks to his augmented senses. A photographic memory usually comes in handy. But sometimes it doesn't. This was one of those occasions, and Storm made a mental note to prepare and use a mental emetic as soon as possible.
He mentally came up with and rejected almost a dozen plans before finally settling on the one he knew would work. He closed his eyes as tight as he could, kicked in the door, used magic to augment his voice, screamed for Blight's attention and then tossed the orb in the direction his other senses told him Blight was in before turning and running like Armageddon itself was chasing him.
He dashed into a nearby parlour, where he discovered his fiancées had somehow beaten him there, just as all hell broke loose (judging by the sheer volume of what Blight was saying). Finally, things quietened down and Storm risked peering out of the room just as Blight, clad in nothing but pants and a grisly armour made from the bones of humanoid creatures, came stalking down the corridor, his Soul Blade manifest and grumbling and snarling to himself. Storm couldn't have stopped his reaction no matter how badly he wanted to.
"So what did Sooth want?"
The look on Blight's face as he whirled to face Storm provoked an instant and instinctive reaction to run away and hide. Blight's breath snarled between his fangs before he finally managed to get the words out, literally spitting them from his tongue as though they were poisoned.
"You want to know what that moronic, idiotic, imbecilic disgrace to our name has done? You want to know what was so gods-damned important he had to interrupt me on this, the most important night of my life? The stupid, wretched, obscene blasphemy has only managed to go and get himself captured by a bunch of little girls with too-perky attitudes and who run around in sailor suits tossing spells, that's all! Why do I have to sort out his damn messes! That miserable…"
Still spitting curses and muttering under his breath, Blight stormed down the corridor, Storm, Akane, Shampoo and Ukyo nervously tracking his progress. Storm swallowed audibly as his hand went unconsciously to his throat.
"I think Sooth's going to be in deep, deep trouble when Blight gets his hands on him.
All right! Finally I got that chapter finished! Unfortunately, the end of this chapter brings with it sad news. As I mentioned last time I posted, I've contracted a major league case of Writer's Block- I simply have no inspiration left for this story. As a result, I won't be writing any more chapters until and unless I get some new inspiration. You can help me by providing suggestions for future chapter events in your reviews- remember, this fanfiction was written to entertain you. It's your choice to do so or not though, but your reviews can help bring this fic back to life.
On a side-note: I am attempting to get chapter 3 of my "Twizted Matchups" finished and posted, but I fear that without reviews/advice for it that fiction will die once chapter 3 is up. I also intend to try writing chapter 2 of "Return to Jusenkyo Redone" and to start my "Red Dwarf ½", but their existence remains doubtful.